The Story

This Is My Cat is a storybook for children and toddlers by Sherry Skovgaard. The story at first reads like a nursery rhyme, with a cause and effect story line. The book begins with a little girl and her cat (hence, the name of the book). The cat startles a dog, who in turn bites a mailman, who then spills his mail that takes off in the wind (and travels across town). In the end, all the kids in town end up sliding down a giant outdoor water slide. The story ends with the little girl hugging her cat and telling us all just how much she loves it.

Who doesn’t love their cat?

As I said above, the story is entirely cause and effect. It’s my favorite thing about the book because it’s a perfect format for young children. It keeps their attention extremely well, and it drives home understanding. I could see the book’s effective format when both my child and I were giggling more and more at each page in the book. Each incident (cause and effect) was a little more fun than the last, and each one built on the previous.

Another thing I love about the book is its positivity. As you move through the pages of the story, each event causes a greater reaction, and eventually we end up in what appears to be a catastrophe. It would have been very easy for our author to leave the book on a negative note. Instead, she decided to turn it all around and create a fun and positive ending. The kids all end up with a massive water slide instead of the water tower being ruined. This leaves the reader feeling happy and satisfied with the conclusion.

The Illustrations

The illustrations in This is My Cat are incredibly cute. They’re reminiscent of a Saturday morning cartoon. There are nothing but cute, simple characters that are fun to look at. At the same time, they don’t draw attention away from the story. I like the choice of keeping the illustrations simplistic because it lets children focus on the main elements of the story, and therefore helps to maximize their learning.

Now, I’m not saying the illustrations are boring. In fact, they’re full of detail and colors that help tell the story. They’re bright and creative, and I couldn’t find any that I would have modified. The characters are always expressing their emotions, which may help them feel more real to children.

So many cars!

The Verdict

Sherry Skovgaard is an excellent kid’s author, and This is My Cat is a must-have addition to any child’s library. And at only $9.25 USD for a paperback copy of the book, it’s quite affordable. The format of the book is top notch, the illustrations are perfect for young children, and I love the positive outlook. Head over to Amazon and pick up this child’s cat book now!